"IndianPudding" news and stories

Kathleen Wall, the colonial foodways culinarian at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Mass., understands not everyone wants fruit in their Indian pudding: She just wishes the detractors could find more civilized ways of expressing their distaste.

"I've had people stand in front of me and spit the fruit into their hands," Wall says. "People who are nice and rational."

Rational about all things, apparently, but Indian pudding, the centuries-old sweet dish that's so beloved it has its own holiday: Today is National Indian Pudding Day, an annual celebration of what Plimoth Plantation's Web site calls one of the nation's "ugliest, yet great tasting, bi-cultural culinary treats."

Its name notwithstanding, Indian pudding isn't a Native American specialty. "It's called Indian because of the cornmeal," Wall explains. Other ingredients include milk and molasses, a byproduct of the thriving 19th century sugar trade. While a recipe for Indian pudding didn't appear in print until 1796, references to the mushy snack appeared as early as 1740.

As Thanksgiving approaches and we're reminded of the initial feast with the Pilgrims and the Indians, one likely dish of the meal has long been overlooked: the traditional Indian pudding. And though the Native American Indian dessert didn't quite stick as a holiday staple, it gets honored today with National Indian Pudding Day.

American Indian puddings are a baked custard, made from cornmeal and eggs, sweetened with molasses and flavored by spices. They also often include local, readily available fruit, like apples. The name is derived from "Indian" for its use of cornmeal, once called "Indian meal." Although the dish may not appear the most refined, it's comfort food at its best -- try it yourself, with this recipe adapted from "An Olde Conchord Christmas."

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